Seneca Lake was named for the Seneca Indian
Nation, one of the six nations of the Iroquois
Confederacy who used to inhabit the area. The
word "Seneca" is derived from the Indian name "
Assiniki," which means "place of stone" or "stony
place". Seneca Lake has the steepest shoreline of
all the Finger Lakes, particularly at the southern end.

Two of the main inlets are Catharine Creek at the
southern end and Keuka Lake Outlet, which
becomes an inlet at Dresden. The flow from
many ravines goes into the lake, some of
which have spectacular waterfalls, including
the falls of Big Stream at Glenora, of Sawmill
Creek at Hector, and the Silver Thread Falls on
Mill Creek at Lodi Landing. The lake is also fed
by many springs along its bottom. Seneca Lake
outlets into the Cayuga-Seneca Canal, which
joins Seneca and Cayuga Lakes at their northern ends.

Seneca Lake is the deepest and widest of the Finger Lakes.
Due to the large water volume, Seneca Lake has a pronounced
moderating influence on the air temperature around its periphery.
This is the principal reason that the lake has evolved into a
prime grapegrowing area.

Seneca Lake is rated as an excellent lake for fishing and is
particularly known for lake trout. The National Lake Trout
Derby is held every Memorial Day weekend on the lake.

Excerpt from Persons, Places and Things IN the Finger Lakes Region
by Emerson Klees